Recently appointed PNG Residents XIII coach Adrian Lam is hoping he will have a fit squad when they assemble in Port Moresby on Jan 25.

Lam, who was in charge of the Prime Minister’s XIII, stressed that his players would need to show that their fitness levels had not decreased despite not having played since September.

“I’m saying this as a friendly warning, that all players that were selected for the matches in Australia next month need to be maintaining their fitness levels and those who struggle during our squad training starting on Jan 25 may not make the trip and will be replaced by others from the squad,” Lam said.

The Residents XIII are scheduled to play South Sydney at Redfern in Sydney on Feb 2 and the 25-man squad named last month will have seven days to prepare as a team before taking on the National Rugby League side.

They will also compete in the Cabramatta 9s while in Sydney on Feb 4 before playing a Queensland Intstra Cup side in a crammed opening phase of World Cup preparations.

“I need my players to have continued their training through the festive and New Year period and not get carried away while on break,” he said.

“They shouldn’t be coming into camp unfit and overweight because there will be harsh penalties on those that are not up to the standard.”. The National